Faculty Profiles

Mr. Adams was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, but spent most of his youth in Saratoga Springs, New York, USA. He majored in history at the State University of New York at Oneonta and received his Bachelor’s degree after completing a study abroad program at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. He then went on to receive his teaching license through the University of West Florida. Mr. Adams has spent the past 8 years teaching both ELA and Social Studies at private schools throughout the beautiful island of Taiwan in the towns and cities of Sanchong, Taitung, Taipei, and Linkou. While Assistant Head of Social Studies at his previous school, he most recently taught courses on Ancient Civilizations, Early United States History, Early World History, and AP United States History.

During his free time, Mr. Adams enjoys competing in endurance sports and spending time in the great outdoors. He has participated in numerous half-marathons, marathons, and triathlons, and has a passion for an athletic lifestyle. This love of sports grew during his high school and college years while playing American football and lacrosse. Both of these experiences cultivated a lifelong appreciation for physical health. Mr. Adams also loves to travel and learn about the peoples and cultures of the places that he visits. He believes that traveling is especially meaningful when it is through the wonderful form of bikepacking. He has gone on numerous bikepacking trips, the longest of which being a 7-day 800km solo ride from Edinburgh, Scotland to London, England. Mr. Adams’ future adventure goals include completing a full 140.6 Ironman Triathlon, hiking the Everest Base Camp Trail, and bikepacking across Japan’s main island of Honshu.

In the words of the modern-day explorer and adventurer Alastair Humphreys, Mr. Adams believes, “Adventure is just about doing something you’ve never done – doing it with enthusiasm and curiosity: doing something difficult with passion.” He hopes that you all choose to live the adventure of life just as passionately!

Mr. Babcock is from Detroit, Michigan, USA. He has a BS in Business and English Education and an MA in teaching ESL; certified by the state of Michigan, Mr. Babcock has taught all 3 subjects over his 17 years of teaching. He taught in Baltimore City for 7 years before beginning his international teaching journey in Istanbul, Turkey. Now he is in his 5th year in Taiwan. Chad has taught students from a variety of backgrounds, grades 1-12, and has enjoyed working with these different populations as each present unique opportunities for him to learn and grow as teacher. He feels truly lucky to be a teacher: “I get to laugh and have fun at my job every day. Not everyone can say that.”

Mr. Babcock loves nature and exploring the outdoors through activities such as hiking, travelling, camping, disc golfing and swimming. To relax, he enjoys cooking, gardening, reading and going on walks. Mr. Babcock is very passionate about music and its history, especially hip-hop, and he welcomes a conversation on the topic with anyone interested. Lastly, he looks forward to exploring more of Taiwan’s natural beauty with his wife and dog as they continue to find new areas to camp on the island – recommendations always appreciated.

Mr. Chen became a teaching assistant (TA) at Soochow University after receiving both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Economics, and taught Microeconomics, Econometrics, Monetary Economics, and Mathematics for Economics. He later majored in Finance at National Chiao Tung University and taught Economics as a TA there. In his seven years of being a teacher at an international school, Mr. Chen is an experienced teacher and has taught many subjects including Pre-calculus, AP Macroeconomics, AP Macroeconomics, and AP Statistics. 

Mr. Chen enjoys watching baseball games, watching movies, and reading books in his free time. He believes that there will always be room for growth and improvement for each.

Alia Clark is a dedicated educator with a background in chemistry and mathematics. Moved to the U.S. at the age of 15 to pursue her education, eventually earning a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry and a Master’s in Applied Statistics from Purdue University.

With extensive experience teaching chemistry and mathematics at various educational institutions, Dr. Clark has honed her skills in accommodating diverse learning profiles and developing integrated teaching strategies. She spent 7 years at Kang Chiao International School, where she held various roles in teaching and administrative support, and 4 years as a visiting assistant professor at the University level in the U.S. She has also served as a mentor for undergraduate independent research, fostering a love for research and inquiry-based learning in her students.

Aside from her passion for teaching, Dr. Clark has a keen interest in sudoku and enjoys spending time in the lab. She also has a special fondness for dogs and has named her pets with math-themed names. Alia believes in the importance of work-life balance and enjoys spending quality time with her family. 

As an advocate of inquiry-based learning, Dr. Clark promotes collaboration, research, and active learning in the classroom. Her teaching philosophy revolves around sharing knowledge and passion, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and inspiring wonder and curiosity in students.

Ms. Duh grew up in North America. She majored in Anatomy & Cell Biology with a minor in Education at McGill University, Montreal, where she also earned her teaching credential and a M.A in Teaching & Learning with a focus in science and technology.

Ms. Duh is an outgoing person who loves to travel and meet new people. She has a huge passion for exploring new places and eating great food. She is adventurous and always ready to try something new. Her hobbies include painting, swimming, river tracing, and motorcycling.

Ms. Duh has dedicated herself to become a life-long educator and learner. She strives to instill a similar desire in all of the students whom she works with. She emphasizes critical thinking and problem solving, using the science content to develop good evidence-based reasoning and communication skills. She is committed to student success inside of the classroom and in life. Marking her third year of teaching in an international school in Asia, Ms. Duh is super excited to join AAIA and to promote STEM education as it is important to spark an interest in pursuing a STEM career in students.

Ms. Hamilton graduated from Tulane University with a BA in Anthropology. She set out to be a modern Margaret Mead, but instead became a modern Mrs. Patterson due to the funny way life works. After graduating, she was selected to be a Teach for America Nashville Charter Corps member. Ms. Hamilton taught in Metro Nashville Public School district for four years before moving to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, then venturing to Bahrain to teach internationally.  Finally, Ms. Hamilton landed on the beautiful island of Taiwan in 2018 to teach IB MYP Language and Literature, writing, and head the Writing Department before joining AAIA. 

Ms. Hamilton adores reading fiction and nonfiction, dance parties (solo or with others), podcasts, friends, and nature. She enjoys cooking as well; though, it is best if she cooks with adult supervision. Both Ms. Hamilton and her world-traveling cat, Prince, hope that Taiwan will be their forever home. Ms. Hamilton is ecstatic to join AAIA’s vibrant learning community and happy she can continue to support Prince’s lavish lifestyle simultaneously. 

Ms. Hamilton models her learning and teaching style from her favorite teacher: the aforementioned, formidable Mrs. Patterson. She believes in high expectations, fostering unrelenting curiosity, and being a good human. She turns to Dr. Brene Brown for inspiration on these points and all things learning, leading, and teaching. Ms. Hamilton strives to “stay awkward, brave, and kind,” as Dr. Brown advises. 

Dr. Judkins is originally from San Antonio, TX. She received her B.S. in Psychology with a minor in chemistry and mathematics from Texas A&M University, her M.A. in Secondary Education Mathematics from the University of Phoenix, and her Ph.D. in Special Education from Northcentral University. She is currently pursuing a M.S. in Digital Learning and Leading from Lamar University in order to further technology integration in the classroom.

Dr. Judkins is the mother to a 2-year-old girl and an unknown-age cat; both can often be found “helping” her with her school work or lesson designs. Her hobbies include crafting, reading, creative writing, hiking, playing piano, and video gaming (her dissertation was actually on the introduction of video game elements into mathematics).

The year 2020 marks her third year in Taiwan, and second-year teaching in an international school. Prior to moving to Taiwan, she had a decade of teaching experience, primarily in Algebra, but has taught a wide range of math and science subjects. Dr. Judkins’ educational philosophy is guided by the Multiple Intelligence Theory (Gardner) and the growth mindset (Dweck).

As a multi-national, Ms. Kelly has been the beneficiary of a truly global life; while, as a Canadian, Toronto will always be home, she has enjoyed the privilege of an Australian education, rich in the perspective of her Taiwanese heritage.  Ms. Kelly earned a post-graduate degree in Education from La Trobe University and holds an Australian teacher’s license with the Victoria Institute of Teaching. As a global adventurer, Ms. Kelly has lived, worked, and traveled throughout the world including Australia, Canada and now Taiwan. Having had the opportunity to live in a variety of places boasting diverse cultural insights, she has learned to understand, and confer upon her students, a diverse swath of culturally distinct points of view.  

Ms. Kelly had the immediate and unexpected surprise of falling in love with the profession of teaching when she first stepped into the classroom almost 20 years ago. During her career, she’s added every conceivable student demographic from kindergarten and elementary classrooms to secondary schools, and beyond. While she got her feet wet training in public schools in Australia, the bulk of career unfolded in the private school system. For Ms. Kelly, teaching has never been a job; rather, it has been a lifelong love affair with a profession that can only truly be described as her calling, or she prefers to say, “my life’s work.”

Ms. Kelly, along with her husband and two children, are avid nature lovers, often hiking in the mountains on the weekends. For peace of mind and good physical health, Ms. Kelly enjoys yoga and reads books voraciously whenever and wherever the opportunity arises.

Ms. Kelly is very excited to be the newest addition to the AAIA team. As always, she hopes to inspire her students to think critically, learn joyfully, and build a foundation of knowledge and wisdom successfully.

Ms. Lee is a certified counseling psychologist who earned her degree of Bachelor of Science, Psychology in 2008 from National Chengchi University. Being a mental health lecturer and counselor in New Taipei City back in 2013, she provided individual, peer, and family sessions for teenagers, young adults, and parents in an NGO community center in Taipei to help people with addiction and social-emotional needs. After that, she had five years working with teenagers and families from diverse cultural backgrounds in international schools including KCIS, Hurtwood House, and Nanwai King’s College school in China. She’s currently in her second year of the ICEEFT Emotionally Focused Therapy Training Program.

As a music lover and explorer, Ms. Lee adores the glamorous big band jazz in the 40s and exploring American wild west towns for the frontier spirit. She spends most of her leisure time traveling, exploring new music, enjoying street dance and art. She loves to hear what people have to say, be there for the people in need, and guide them to develop their potential mentally, emotionally and socially in life. She’s also a good secret keeper and students’ well-being is her utmost priority. Ms. Lee is looking forward to joining the AAIA community and meeting with you all!

Conductor, flutist, educator, Ivy Lin pursues a versatile musical life as a passionate performer and educator. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from University of Washington, a Master of Music Degree from Boston University, and a Bachelor of Music education degree from Taipei University of Education.

As an educator, she had many years of experience teaching in international schools. Within these years, she has produced several musicals as a music director. Seeing students learn and grow is the most rewarding achievement for Dr. Lin.

Ms. Lin grew up in a loving family and became the combination of the rational and emotional side of her parents. She majored in Communication and doubled minor in Marketing and Media Economics and Entrepreneurship at the University of Southern California. Being the Resident Assistant in the freshmen dorm for 3 years, Ms. Lin planned events, provided support, and created a home away from home for the freshmen. After graduation, Ms.Lin worked in various industries such as news media, and consulting, and ended up finding her passion and devoted herself to education, especially in college and career readiness.

Ms. Lin believes that every student is unique and hopes to accompany each one of them to find the distinguished features within while guiding students to explore the world and structure their own values. As a passionate college counselor, Ms. Lin is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment where students can navigate the exciting journey of self-discovery and academic growth.

Mr. Lin is a doctoral candidate in TESOL at Tamkang University. He received his Master’s degree in TESL (Teach English as a Second Language) at Saint Michael’s College in Vermont, USA. Additionally, he holds the Cambridge CELTA certificate.

Mr. Lin has more than 25 years of teaching experience in all sectors including colleges, high schools and elementary schools. Before joining AAIA, he was an English instructor at International College of Kanazawa, Japan, where he taught English presentation skills and more. To Mr. Lin, immersing himself in Japanese Culture for nearly four years not only enriched his life but also conveyed the concepts “Knowing English as a global language cultivates one to respect all diverse cultures”.

Ms. Liu received her bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Language in the National Central University in Taiwan and began her teaching journey at Colby College. Subsequently, she was fortunate to receive a full scholarship to work at Pittsburg State University while pursuing her Master’s degree.

With extensive experience spanning various regions of the U.S. and Taiwan, Ms. Liu utilizes her diverse background to provide students with a comprehensive perspective on college selection. As a dedicated college counselor, she believes that finding a university that aligns with one’s personal values can pave the way for long-term career development. With this in mind, she keeps promoting inclusivity and fostering understanding among students from diverse backgrounds as Ms. Liu guides students through the process of researching and selecting colleges that match their academic interests, career aspirations, and personal preferences.

Ms. Liu enjoys trying out different sports, and recently she has taken a liking to playing badminton and running. During weekends, she spends time with her family or stays at home watching Netflix or YouTube. She is excited to work with students, parents, and colleagues at AAIA.

Mr. Mejia was born in Honduras in the capital city of Tegucigalpa where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2009. He has worked in human resources and the clinical field before starting his career in education back in 2014. In Honduras, he worked as a school counselor and Values teacher. In 2017, he moved to Taiwan where he earned a Master in Educational Leadership and Management Development from Chung Cheng University while also working as a teacher. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies, playing basketball, and visiting night markets

Mr. Ebon was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan in the USA. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Asian Studies with the hopes of being a Chinese and/or Japanese language interpreter. However, once he taught English as a Second Language (ESL) for a year, he realized that teaching was his passion. Therefore, he pursued his Master’s degree in ESL and his teaching license in the state of New Jersey. He has been teaching for a total of 11 years now.

Mr. Ebon has been living in east Asia for 12 years now, the first 8 of which were in China (Wuhan and Hefei, Anhui Province). He visited Taipei for the first time in 2016, fell in love with the city, and vowed to move here. In 2018, he made that claim a reality. He loves the progressiveness, friendliness, convenience, and natural beauty of Taiwan, namely Taipei City. He plans to settle here and maybe raise a family.

In his spare time, Mr. Ebon has a plethora of hobbies, which include listening to music, studying astrology, cooking, traveling the world, learning languages, getting lost in a city, playing Nintendo Switch (mostly Zelda and Mario games), and all things that involve making genuine connections with others. He is very excited about working at AAIA and hopes to contribute to this caring, thriving community.

Mr. Rodger is a science teacher from the UK with a physics specialism. Having gained a Masters degree in Geophysics from Imperial College London, Mr Rodger decided to follow his passion for science education and become a teacher. After teaching for two years in schools in London, Mr Rodger moved to Taiwan where he has been teaching for the last three years. He is experienced in middle school science and has taught both A-Level and Advanced Placement physics curriculums. He will also be shortly completing his Master’s degree in Education focusing on addressing cultural understanding in international schools.

Mr Rodger is an avid runner and often spends his weekends trail running in the mountains around Taipei. He likes watching sports, reading and listening to music. Any other free time is usually spent with his partner and looking after his pet rabbit, Fuzz. 

Mr Rodger is excited to be joining the AAIA community and sharing his passion for science and learning with all students. He is a firm believer that we are all scientists and through engaging in the subject, we can gain the problem solving and critical thinking skills that we can apply to all aspects of our lives. 

Ms. Ruperez double-majored in English Literature and Spanish at Saint Louis University.  Soon after, she received her M.A in English Literature with a Composition Certificate from California State University, Sacramento. She enjoyed Sac State so much that she continued on to get her teaching certificate through the Bilingual/Multicultural Education Department. 

Ms. Ruperez has recently rediscovered a passion for shrimping and glamping in the wilds of Taiwan. In her spare time, she reads non-fiction books and absolutely loves to cook. Her preferred form of travel is road-tripping with friends and delights in finding random spots to watch the sunset. When she is not outside, she is fighting with her cat over who gets the more comfortable spot on the sofa. 

Ms. Ruperez is perpetually fascinated with new ideas and sharing it with those around her. She believes that a humorous, safe, and equitable classroom culture leads to self-motivated life long learners. She also actively invites students to discover how fiction and non-fiction can lead to change in their communities. For that matter, she is quite excited to work with the students, parents, and teachers of AAIA.

Ms. Simatos is a New Zealander who has lived outside New Zealand for the past 20 years. When she was at high school, she wanted to grow up to be a psychologist, Prime Minister of New Zealand, an actor, and an English teacher. She is delighted that one of those dreams became reality and still looks forward to the day when she becomes a famous actor. Ms. Simatos has a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and has been in the education sector for 22 years, as a middle and high school ELA and ESL teacher, a corporate language instructor, as well as several years in educational publishing and teacher training. 

In the classroom, Ms. Simatos likes to help her students develop skills that will help them through all the years of their education and into their careers. She believes that curiosity, asking good questions, and seeing from different perspectives are key to learning and growing.

Since coming to Taiwan four years ago, Ms. Simatos has discovered a love of camping with her husband and her dog. She also has a cat, but the cat isn’t a big fan of camping. Ms. Simatos loves to read fantasy and historical fantasy, do Shakespeare readings with her friends, travel around the world, play RPG games on PlayStation when she has time, and take naps as often as possible.

Mr. Sun graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a major in film studies.  In 2000, he worked for CMPC, a major film company as its official website’s editor. Then he started teaching English in 2002 at David’s English Center, where he found his love for teaching.

Mr. Sun has always loved learning languages. Besides Chinese and English, he also learned Japanese and Thai. In 2012, he started teaching Mandarin in a language school where traditional Chinese characters are taught in Bangkok, Thailand. He also taught Chinese in simplified characters and participated in some interpretation cases.

Mr. Sun believes in the beauty of communication. Movie is communication; language is also communication. The job of an educator is to lead the learner to appreciating this beauty in a fun, natural way.

Mr. Sung is a professional actor, drama and physical education teacher who earned his degree of Bachelor of Art, Theatre, Acting in 2015 from Columbia College Chicago. As an educator, Jack has been directing musicals, and teaching Drama and Physical Education program many years in International schools in Taiwan. As a performer/actor, Jack has also been cast in many commercials, movies, and drama series.

On top of pursuing acting career, Jack’s specialty is sports. Jack, who has loved sports since he was a child, specializes in basketball, baseball, ping-pong, badminton, pop-dance and various sports. As a PE teacher and team coach, Jack believes that physical training is one of the most effective methods to cultivate self-confidence, hand-eye coordination, agility and social skills. He integrates physical training and drama training into his teaching methods, combining physical education with art to help students expand their artistic horizons while contributing to students’ physical health, self-confidence and emotional well-being. These are vital to students’ overall development and academic success.

Jack is passionate in helping students who has or had struggled at school or anywhere. Jack believes everyone has their own way to success.

Ms. Thomassen is originally from the United States and has lived in Taiwan since 2015. She is a dedicated educator who holds a Bachelor’s degree from Elmira College, where she studied Adolescent Social Studies Education and History.  Her academic journey continued as she pursued a Master of Science in Literacy Education, further enhancing her ability to foster a love for learning in her students.

With eight years of teaching experience under her belt, Ms. Thomassen has honed her skills and developed a deep understanding of effective pedagogical practices.  Most recently, she spent three years teaching United States History, World Geography, and A.P. Psychology before joining AAIA.  

Outside of the classroom, Ms. Thomassen can be found pursuing a variety of hobbies that fuel her adventurous spirit and creative soul.  Ms. Thomassen has a zest for traveling and loves to scrapbook her adventures.   On the weekends, she enjoys scuba diving and yoga. Ms. Thomassen also enjoys watching Disney+ with her cat, Elphaba.  

Ms. Thomassen’s passion for education, combined with her strong academic background, extensive teaching experience, and commitment to student success, make her an exceptional educator.  She is very excited to bring her skills and knowledge to AAIA.

Mr. Trojan was born and raised in the United States. He double-majored in Chinese Studies and German Studies at Wofford College, where he also earned a certificate in Gender Studies. As a result, Mr. Trojan speaks, writes, and has completed research in Chinese and German (though German is a bit rusty). In addition, Mr. Trojan has earned his Postgraduate Certificate in International Education from the University of Nottingham. 

After graduating from Wofford, Mr. Trojan accepted a Fulbright grant to teach English in Kinmen, Taiwan for two years. During his time in Kinmen, Mr. Trojan learned from his colleagues how to infuse interesting and fun lessons with practical goals and outcomes, which has been a guiding principle of his teaching philosophy to this day. After completing his grant, Mr. Trojan moved to the big island of Taiwan to work as a teacher and administrator at Taoyuan American School for four years. There, he worked as the head of the Middle School and curriculum coordinator, as well as taught Social Studies, Debate, Theatre, Chinese and other courses. During this time, he often worked with students on various activities, as well as academic and social remediation. Now, Mr. Trojan is ready to start a new chapter with AAIA!

In his free time, Mr. Trojan enjoys painting, writing, cartooning, and searching the island for the best stinky tofu! (No, really!) Mr. Trojan is always searching for new hobbies and skills to learn and grow from. Let him know if you have any recommendations!

Satina Tseng is a passionate and dedicated educator with an extensive background in Fine Art. Since completing her MFA degree at Syracuse University, Satina has had an impressive journey as an artist, participating in numerous exhibitions and competitions both in the United States and Taiwan. Her success as an artist led to her being invited as a guest speaker in various institutions.With over twenty years of teaching experience, Satina brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her teaching position. She has demonstrated an open-minded approach and flexibility in her contributions to schools, allowing her to teach a diverse range of courses, including 3D, 2D, drawing, and costume design. Satina spent a decade at an international school, where she held various teaching and administrative support roles, gaining invaluable experience in teaching a diverse group of students.

Ms. Tseng’s approach to teaching involves emphasizing availability for informal discussion and willingness to help students sort out any problems they have with what they are learning. She has also served as a mentor for Student Consul for school events, displaying her dedication to student support. Additionally, she is responsible for school displays and serves as the gallery curator for annual exhibitions.

Continued professional development is crucial to Ms. Tseng’s growth as a teacher and a lifelong learner. As education is continually evolving, she recognizes the importance of staying current and up-to-date with the latest developments in her field. Satina believes that the ultimate goal of education should be to equip each child with the capabilities to think creatively, approach life with an inquisitive mind, and understand that education is a lifelong pursuit. Satina aims to instill the love of learning in her students as she shares her passion for education

Andrew Valencia was born and raised in Central California. He holds a BA from Stanford University and an MFA from the creative writing program at the University of South Carolina. A veteran teacher with more than fifteen years’ experience, Mr. Valencia has taught test prep in Central America, served as a college essay advisor in South Korea, and supervised creative writing and composition courses at American universities. Most recently, Mr. Valencia taught English Language Arts for eight years at an international school in Taichung, Taiwan.

Mr. Valencia is an avid reader, movie buff, history enthusiast, philosophy student, trivia competitor, and supporter of the expat music scene in Taiwan. As a writer, he published his first novel in 2018, and his short fiction and essays have appeared in a variety of publications throughout North America. Since relocating to Asia, he has been fortunate to have the opportunity to travel extensively in both Taiwan and adjacent countries, including the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Japan.

Mr. Valencia is pleased to join the AAIA team. He hopes to guide his students in becoming better writers, facilitate their appreciation of new ideas, and serve as a theoretical bridge between their high school experience and life on an overseas college campus.